Useful information & contact
This logistics note intends to provide essential information that you may need for your participation in the event.
Contact information
In case of unforeseen situations or any other need, you may contact the following:
Céleste Laporte Talamon, Policy Analyst, OECD Eurasia (FR, EN, RU) euca-economicforum@oecd.org
Visa information
Citizens of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and EU countries do not require a visa when travelling to Kazakhstan. However, citizens from other countries may need to obtain a visa prior to travelling to Kazakhstan. Please consult the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan at this link: Visa regime of the Republic of Kazakhstan for foreign citizens (www.gov.kz)
Citizens of Turkmenistan require a visa to enter Kazakhstan. For this, the applicant will need to receive an invitation number from the Department of Consular Services of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In order to apply for the invitation number, the below templates have to be filled in and sent to Ms Gulyaim Smailova at the EU Delegation to Kazakhstan Gulyaim.Smailova@eeas.europa.eu well in advance.
Travelling from Samarkand to Almaty
For participants coming from the EBRD Annual Meeting in Samarkand, please note that there will be a charter flight arranged on 19 May 2023 from Samarkand to Almaty:
Departure: 07.30am, arrival: 10.15am
If you wish to purchase a ticket for that flight, please send the following information BEFORE 1 MAY 2023 to: Janna.Meirembayeva@airastana.com copying Gulyaim.SMAILOVA@eeas.europa.eu
- passport copy
- mobile number
The exact price of individual tickets (approximately 650-800 EUR) will be established after 1 May, when the exact number of passengers will be known.
Almaty Airport Arrival
Cash can be withdrawn at Halyk Bank which is located on the second floor of the passenger terminal between the departure zones of international and domestic flights. Bank machines can be found at the exit of the luggage collection area of the airport.
Getting to the city
Participants are fully responsible for arranging and paying for their travel expenses. Below you can find some information and options for your travel from the Almaty International Airport to the centre of Almaty. The airport is located 15 kilometres from the city centre.
By taxi:
Taxis with a taximeter are permanently available in front of the airport’s Arrivals Hall. The travel between the airport and Almaty takes approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Travellers are advised to avoid unlicensed taxis.
Widely used taxi companies:
- Bolt;
- Blue Sky Energy, the first electric taxi service in Kazakhstan operates with Almaty airport and uses Nissan Leaf and Tesla cars. Rates from the airport to hotels in the city range from KZT 5 000.00 to KZT 8 000.00 each way. Payment can be made with bank cards, cash, Kaspi R and can be booked via their website below or with WhatsApp with the following number +7 701 671 4165: Blue Sky Energy – The first electric taxi in Almaty and Kazakhstan
The fare from the airport to the city is calculated online. Payment can be made online or in cash on the ground. Prices depend on the transfer class (economy, comfort or business).
By bus:
There are four buses that operate between Almaty Aiport and the city centre: 79 (Green bus), 86, 92 (Green bus) and 106. Bus fare is KZT 150.00 (+/ 0.32 Euros), and travel time takes 45 minutes depending on traffic. Please note that the night bus N992 does not arrive at the station area of the airport for drop-off of passengers. At Almaty Airport, you can buy an “Onay” transport card [ОҢАЙ] for public transport at the automatic teller near the bus stop complex at the airport. If you have a card, you only pay KZT 80.00 for a single journey instead of KZT 150.00
Forum venue
The two-day forum will take place in the conference centre Ritz-Carlton, Almaty Hotel on 18-19 May 2023. The hotel is located in the Esentai Tower, located on 77/7 Al Farabi Avenue. Contact number: +7 727 332 8888.
Accommodation
Participants are fully responsible for arranging and paying for their accommodation and additional expenses.
You may consider the below list of hotels, however, the organisers do not attest to the quality of the services of the hotels. Alternatively, participants can search on booking.com or hotels.com
| Kazakhstan Hotel Hotel website: Kazakhstan Hotel Tel: + 7 702 155 50 55 | Ibis Almaty Jetisu Hotel website: Ibis Almaty Jetisu Tel: +7 727 355 0355 |
| Holiday Inn Almaty Hotel website: Holiday Inn Tel: +7 727 244 02 55 | Swissôtel, 5* Hotel Accommodation Hotel website: Swissôtel Tel: +7 727 391 0101 |
| Rixos, 5* Accommodation Hotel website: Rixos Almaty Tel: +7 727 300 3300 | The Ritz-Carlton, 5* Accommodation Hotel website: Ritz-Carlton Almaty Tel: +7 727 332 8888 |
Time difference
Almaty is located in the Alma-Ata Time Zone (UTC +06:00), 5 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
Weather
The weather in Almaty during the month of May tends to be warm. Afternoon high temperatures tend to be around 23 degrees Celsius, with cooler temperatures of 11 degrees Celsius in the evenings and early morning.
Local currency
The official currency of the Republic of Kazakhstan is the Kazakh Tenge (KZT). The commercial exchange rate is subject to change daily. There is a currency exchange kiosk located at the Almaty airport and in many places across the city. Most bank are open from 9.00 to 18.00 from Monday to Friday. Major international debit/credit cards including Visa and MasterCard are accepted in the larger hotels and in major department store, restaurants, and supermarkets. Small businesses and family-run shops may not accept bank cards, so it is useful to keep a moderate amount of cash on hand.
The daily currency rate list is available at: Daily Official (market) Foreign Exchange Rates | National Bank of Kazakhstan
Please note that photo identification (ID) is required to exchange money.
Computer
Participants are requested to bring personal laptops and/or tablets for their own use during the Forum.
Electricity
The voltage used in the Republic of Kazakhstan is generally 220-240 volts. The plugs used are Type C (European CEE 7/16 Europlug) or Type E/F (European CEE 7/4 or CEE 7/5 Schuko). Delegates and speakers are highly encouraged to bring their own universal plug adapter.
Medical advice
It is advised not to drink tap water. As medical services variate from country to country, we recommend that you have an international medical insurance for your travel to Kazakhstan including repatriation.
There is a large network of hospitals, emergency centres and pharmacies in Almaty.
Disclaimer: The organisers provide the below list of service providers for information only, to assist participants who may need support in Almaty. This list is not exhaustive and is subject to change at any time. You should research whether a service provider will be suitable. The organisers do not accept any liability arising to any person for any loss or damage suffered through using these service providers or this information.
| Name of medical facility | Email and website | Telephone | Address | English speaking staff | Public/Private facility |
| Ambulance Hospital of Almaty | gbsnp@mail.ru https://gbsnp.kz/en/ | +77272923101 | 96 Kasybek Bi Street, Almaty | No | Public |
| American Medical Centres | almaty@amcenters.com https://amcenters.com/en/almaty | +77279833000 | 102/69 Kurmangazy Street, Almaty | Yes | Private |
| International SOS Almaty | ala.marketing@internationalsos.com https://my.internationalsos.com/LP=8960?channel=FB | +77017441111 | 2/2 Khodzhanova Street, Business Centre Fortis, Almaty | Yes | Private |
101 – Fire emergency services
102 – Police services
103 – Ambulance service
112 – Rescue service